Meet some of the outstanding authors who call the Sunshine State home.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Vicki M. Taylor - Heroic Heroines

If you're a reader who enjoys stories that feature strong female protagonists, pick up a book by Tampa writer Vicki M. Taylor. Her tales of women who face seemingly impossible challenges with courage and resolve will inspire readers and give them a glimpse into her own personal struggles.

Taylor was born in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula but left after
high school graduation and never looked back. Following a stint in the Marine
Corps, she sought out warm, sunny places like South Carolina, California, and
Arizona. “I’m just not a cold-weather person,” she says.So it wasn’t surprising that, after her three
children were grown, she found her way to Florida where she enjoys “living in
Vacationland” with her husband, Greg, her 12-year-old American Eskimo dog, and
a Sun Conure parrot who “flew into our
yard one day and adopted us.”

Taylor did not begin her career as a novelist. She graduated
with a degree in Computer Science and took a programming job in the tech world.
One day, her boss asked her to put together a user’s manual for a new product.
Taylor enjoyed the project so much that she decided to focus on technical
writing, eventually starting her own technical writing and consulting company
after nearly fifteen years working her way up to manager. After a few years as
a successful business owner, a health crisis caused her to reassess her life.
“I was diagnosed with Grave’s Disease and had to go on bed rest,” she recalls.
“It made me realize that life was short. I’d always wanted to write fiction,
and I didn’t want to wait any longer.” So in 1998, Taylor left the business
world and began writing fiction in earnest. Around the same time, she and five
others founded the Florida Writers Association, which after fifteen years is
still the only statewide writing organization in Florida.

Her first novel took eight months. She admits that it’s “still
sitting on my bookshelf, and will never see the light of day.” Things changed,
though, with her next attempt. Forever
Until We Meet, the story of a lonely woman who falls prey to an
unscrupulous man on an online discussion board, was published in 2001. Taylor
calls the novel “a composite of many women’s stories about how they’d been
taken advantage of on computer forums.” Taylor followed this with three more
novels featuring women in crisis: Not
Without Anna, a story of a mother trying to cope with her daughter’s death;
Trust in the Wind, the tale of a
struggling single mother; and Out for
Justice, a suspense novel about a young female detective investigating a
child’s murder. Taylor has also written three novellas in the Romantic/Suspense,
Science Fiction/Fantasy and Speculative Fiction genres.

Her latest book, Good
Intentions, is a family drama based on a newspaper article about a woman
whose family tried to adopt a 14- year-old pregnant girl. “The story touched my
heart,” Taylor says. “I contacted the reporter for more information, and the
reporter put me in touch with the family. I wanted to fictionalize their story and add
more drama.” In the book, Taylor’s fictional family faces deception,
infidelity, drugs, child abuse, cancer, sexual abuse and home invasion. The process
of interviewing, writing and publishing took four years, but in December, 2012,
Good Intentions was finally released.

Taylor is currently working on a memoir, something of a
departure from her other works. In it,
she shares the unique, intensely intimate story of her ongoing struggle with
bi-polar disorder. Like her fictional heroines, Taylor has done battle with a
host of personal demons. “The last five years have been very difficult. I’ve been in and out of hospitals,” she says.
“I’m hoping my story will resonate with people in similar situations.” Taylor was also the subject of a local news
program that helped demonstrate how far medical advancements have come in
regards to Electroconvulsive Therapy. (You can see the news story at http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/health/shock-therapy-is-out-of-the-dark-ages-and-bringing-light-to-thousands-of-bay-area-patients.
Taylor admits that it feels strange becoming the main character in one of her
books. “My stories tell about strong women who face insurmountable odds and
succeed,” she says. “I’d like to have that kind of strength and be able to show
others how strong I really am.”

Taylor credits much of her positive success to journaling which
inspired her to write Words Heal, a
self-guided creative writing, expressive therapy, and journaling process to
help others who may have past or present traumas and want to live more joyful
lives. (Find Words Heal on Amazon.)

Vicki is now taking life easier, shifting her priorities
from constantly working to spending more time serving God, loving her family,
which includes four grandchildren, supporting her husband and keeping herself
stable.

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JACQUELINE

Based on a true story, "Jacqueline" is a tale of family, faith, unusual friendships, and the resiliency of the human spirit set against the backdrop of occupied Rennes in 1944. With the drama of fiction and the authenticity of personal history, "Jacqueline" is both a story about family and a family's story.

PROJECT JUNE BUG

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About Me

I'm currently a columnist for The Island Reporter, a publication serving the South Gulf Beaches in St. Petersburg, Florida. My Florida Authors series features articles based on exclusive interviews with some of the state’s best writers. My “Pride & Joy” column
profiles individuals who give back to their communities through volunteerism.
I'm also the author of two novels."Project June Bug" is the story of a young teacher’s efforts to help a student with ADHD. It has received 12 awards, including Premier Book Awards “2009 Book of the Year.” My latest novel, "Jacqueline,"(published by Anaiah Press) is a middle grade historical based on an experience my dad, a WWII veteran, had while stationed in France shortly after D-day. Four of my stories have appeared in "Chicken Soup for the Soul" editions.
I live on Treasure Island (yes, it's as beautiful as it sounds), with my husband and two rather noisy macaws. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, walking on the beach, and visiting family in New Jersey, where I'm the proud "Grammy" of six beautiful grandchildren (with the pictures to prove it!)